Coming on the heels of several high-profile data breaches, lawmakers in the Bay State have turned their attention to evaluating and improving cybersecurity across the Commonwealth. The State Legislature has created a special committee on cybersecurity readiness and is working its way through several bills on data privacy and security. In addition, Governor Baker has established a new department devoted to information technology, titled the “Executive Office of Technology Services and Security.”

Nationwide, there are approximately 29 states and over 150 cities and counties that have adopted some form of “ban the box” legislation. Although the legislation varies from one jurisdiction to the other, typically it requires employers to remove the criminal history check box from employment applications. This does not prevent employers from asking about criminal history, but it does limit when an employer can ask. Proponents believe that banning the box helps balance the inequities faced by convicted felons who are attempting to re-enter into the workforce; giving them a “fair chance.”